Sandy Bennett is the owner of B&B 4 Birds, a parrot rescue operated out of her Harrisburg, PA home. She started her rescue roughly 30 years ago when she purchased her first bird, Roscoe, from Woody's Bird Farm. Sandy eventually started taking in birds whose owners no longer wanted them due to behavior problems, noise, or mess. She saw what she calls "the revolving door" of bird ownership, and she wants to put a stop to it.
Every morning at 7 a.m., Sandy prepares breakfast for her flock. Her birds eat a variety of foods such as pasta, berries, vegetables, and occasionally toast. The house is filled with squawks and screams until breakfast is served and everyone is full.
One challenge that comes with running a bird rescue is finding space. Sandy's house is filled with bird cages, and that makes it difficult to walk though the first floor of her home. She has already added several additions and built an outdoor aviary.
In addition to her rescue birds, Sandy boards birds, like Jasper the umbrella cockatoo, for community members. These birds usually stay in her living room.
On Saturdays, Sandy has an open house where volunteers, community members, and prospective bird owners can visit her rescue. Families looking to adopt a bird go through a vigorous adoption process that includes multiple visits to the rescue. Sandy says that the bird must pick the person, and any bird that can't be cared for must be surrendered back to the rescue.
Included in her open house is Sandy's store. She offers bird toys, cages, and food. Sandy doesn't spend a significant amount of time in her store, but she keeps it fully stocked for her birds and birds of community members.
Some of the birds at B&B 4 Birds have physical disabilities, health issues, or behavior problems. Finnegan, a Congo African grey, is missing all of her toes, but that doesn't slow her down. Sandy can play with Finnegan like any of her other birds.
Sandy also offers grooming services by appointment. She offers beak trimming, wing clipping, and nail trimming. Her kitchen acts as her grooming space.
Grooming can be a two-person job. A B&B 4 Birds volunteer will sometimes hold the bird still while Sandy works on the bird.
Sandy keeps several photo albums of her birds. She bred and raised birds herself, such as Honey the blue-fronted Amazon. Many memories of her 30 years of working with birds are kept in these albums.
Throughout the day, the birds will take turns getting out-of-cage time. Sandy can cuddle, wrestle, and kiss most of her birds. Roscoe, a military macaw, loves to spend time with her.